Location:

Olympic Green
Beijing

China

coordinates: 39.9914322,116.3842163
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Building names(s): National Aquatics Centre / Watercube
Architect/Designer: PTW Architects / CSCEC / ARUP
architect website:
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Completion date: 2008

function(s): sports, swimming pool

getting there: The easiest way is to take the Subway Line 8 (Olympic Special Line) then get off at the Olympic Sports Center Station bus: 1. Take bus no.510 or 839 and get off at Beichenxi Bridge North Station; 2. Take bus no.386, 407, 656, 660, 689, 740, 753, 836 (fast line), 939, 944 (branch line), 983 or Yuntong113 and get off at Beichen Bridge West Station; 3. Take bus no.328, 379, 419, 425, 484, 518, 628, 751, 836, 851, 913, 949, 963 or Yuntong 110 and get off at Wali Nankou Station. Entrance Fee: CNY 50 (water park only) | CNY 200 Opening Hours Water Cube: 09:00am-7:00pm (Monday-Thursday) | 09:00am-5:00pm (Friday-Sunday) Innovative Structural solution: The building’s skin, made from an innovative and lightweight transparent “teflon”, ETFE, has been designed to react specifically to lighting and projection. The structure is a simple steel space-frame consisting of two parts; the internal structure and the face structure that forms the actual roof and ceiling and accepts the ETFE pillow cladding. “Our “Watercube” concept is a simple and concise square form that ultimately uses the water bubble theory to create the structure and building cladding, and which makes the design so unique." Andrew Frost, Director, PTW. The design is based on a common natural pattern, the most effective sub-division of three dimensional space –the fundamental arrangement of organic cells and the natural formation of soap bubbles. Total Area: 70,000 square meters Total seating capacity: 17,000